Topic hub
Feeder Placement and Setup
Where a feeder hangs matters more than what you paid for it. Three measurements do most of the work, and they pull against each other.
Three distances decide whether a feeder is found in two days or ignored for two months, and they are specific numbers rather than rules of thumb.
10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.5 m) from cover. Close enough that a chickadee can carry a seed to a branch, far enough that a cat cannot ambush from inside the shrub.
Under 3 feet (1 m) or over 30 feet (9 m) from glass. Very close and a startled bird cannot build up speed; far away and it is unlikely to mistake the reflection for sky. Everything in between is where birds die.
5 feet (1.5 m) up, 10 feet (3 m) from any launch point. The squirrel geometry. Height alone never works, because squirrels jump sideways and drop from above far better than they climb.
Those three pull against each other, which is the entire difficulty of siting a feeder. The guides in this section resolve the conflicts for particular yards.
The numbers, and why each one exists#
| Measurement | The number | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from cover | 10 to 12 ft (3 to 3.5 m) | Too far and the feeder is never found; too close and cats ambush from the shrub |
| Distance from glass | Under 3 ft (1 m) or over 30 ft (9 m) | The 5 to 25 ft (1.5 to 7.5 m) band is where window strikes happen |
| Feeder height | 5 ft (1.5 m) to the base | Lower is within a cat's reach; much higher and you stop refilling it |
| Clearance from launch points | 10 ft (3 m) horizontally | Squirrels jump from fences, rails, trunks, roofs and snowdrifts |
| Overhead clearance | 9 ft (2.7 m) below a branch | Squirrels drop more readily than they climb, and they aim well |
| Baffle top height | 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) | A low baffle is a step, not an obstacle |
| Spacing between feeders | 10 ft (3 m) minimum | One dominant bird guards everything, and waste concentrates in one spot |
Full reasoning for each is in where to hang a bird feeder, how high a feeder should be, feeders and windows and baffles.
Measure, do not eyeball
Almost everyone's estimate of 10 feet is short, and squirrels exploit the difference. Walk the circle around your feeder with a tape and look at it from every waist-high surface, including the snowdrift that will be there in February and the sapling that grew two feet last summer.
Start here for your situation#
| Your situation | Read this |
|---|---|
| Setting up the first feeder in an ordinary yard | Where to hang a bird feeder |
| Deciding between a pole, a hook, a tree or a deck | Poles, hooks, trees or deck mounts |
| Squirrels are already winning | Baffles: types, sizing and placement |
| Birds hitting the windows | Feeders and windows |
| Apartment or balcony, no yard at all | Balcony and apartment feeding |
| A courtyard or small city lot | Feeding birds in a small yard |
| Adding a second or third feeder | How many feeders and how far apart |
| Building the whole thing on one pole | Building a complete feeding station |
| The feeder is in the wrong place already | Moving a feeder without losing the birds |
What most people get wrong#
Hanging the feeder from a tree branch. It is the most natural-looking option and the worst one. A branch is a squirrel highway with a launch point directly above the feeder, and no baffle placed above it fully solves the drop. If squirrels are the problem, moving the feeder to a smooth pole out in the open does more than any feeder purchase, as how to stop squirrels explains in detail.
Splitting the difference on windows. Faced with the choice between very close and very far, people compromise at 10 or 15 feet (3 or 4.5 m), which is the most lethal distance available. Pick an extreme. Placement reduces strikes but does not end them, so if you have a large pane that reflects trees, treat the outside of the glass with markers spaced no more than about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Cover has a safe distance and a dangerous one
Shrubs 3 to 8 feet (1 to 2.4 m) from a feeder give a cat a hide with a short pounce. Keep dense low cover either at 10 feet (3 m) or make sure the ground immediately around the feeder base is open. See cats and bird feeders.
Where to go next#
Placement interacts with almost everything else. The feeder you chose in feeder types determines whether a pole or a trunk mount makes sense, and the food from bird food and seed determines how much spill lands under it, which is what decides whether you need a catch tray.
If a placement change is meant to fix an animal, confirm the culprit first in problems and pests, since the fixes for raccoons, deer and squirrels are different geometries. Sightlines and shelter belong to water, shelter and habitat, and if you are starting from nothing this week, start here gives a working setup in one page.
All 10 guides in this section#
Where to Hang a Feeder
The 10 to 12 foot rule from cover, the two safe window zones, and how sun, wind and your own sightlines decide where a bird feeder…
Feeder Height
Five feet is the default, but the right feeder height depends on the species you want and the raider you are defending against…
Distance From Windows
Why a feeder should sit under 3 feet or over 30 feet from glass, what makes the middle distances lethal, and why moving the feeder…
Poles vs Hanging
Every way to mount a bird feeder compared for stability, squirrel resistance and baffle fit, from freestanding poles to shepherd's…
Baffles
Dome, stovepipe and torpedo baffles compared, with the sizes and heights that actually stop squirrels and the five installation…
Complete Feeding Station
One baffled pole, two or three feeders, a ground tray, water within 10 feet and cover at the edge: the layout, the distances and…
Balcony and Apartment Feeding
Rail clamps, suction window feeders, catch trays and wind: how to feed birds five floors up without losing seed, deposits or the…
Small Yard Feeding
How to get real species variety from a small city lot: which feeder earns the space, which placement rules to bend, and what to add…
Moving a Feeder
Move a feeder a few feet every two or three days and most birds never notice. Move it across the yard overnight and expect a lull…
How Many Feeders
Two feeders 15 feet apart feed more birds than one big feeder, for two reasons: less squabbling at a single food source, and less…
Frequently asked questions#
Where is the best place to hang a bird feeder?
About 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.5 m) from a shrub or tree, on a smooth pole with the feeder base 5 feet (1.5 m) off the ground and at least 10 feet (3 m) from any fence, deck rail, branch or roof a squirrel could jump from. Then either under 3 feet (1 m) or over 30 feet (9 m) from the nearest window.
How high should a bird feeder be?
Five feet (1.5 m) to the base is the working default: above the reach of a cat, below the height where refilling becomes a chore. Ground feeders like juncos and doves want a tray at 0 to 12 inches (0 to 30 cm) instead, and in bear country feeders should be 10 feet (3 m) up or taken down entirely.
How far should a feeder be from a window?
Closer than 3 feet (1 m) or farther than 30 feet (9 m). Very close means a startled bird cannot build up lethal speed before it hits the glass; far away means it is less likely to read a reflection as open sky. The dangerous band is roughly 5 to 25 feet (1.5 to 7.5 m).
Is it better to hang a feeder from a tree or a pole?
A pole, almost always. A feeder hanging from a branch is a squirrel feeder with extra steps, because squirrels drop onto it from above and no baffle above the feeder fully solves that. A smooth steel pole with a baffle, set away from launch points, is the single most effective anti-squirrel purchase there is.
How far apart should multiple feeders be?
At least 10 feet (3 m), and 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m) where you have the space. Spacing stops a dominant bird from guarding everything at once, and it spreads droppings and discarded seed out instead of concentrating them at a single point, which lowers disease risk.
Can I move a bird feeder without losing the birds?
Yes, if you move it gradually. Shift it a few feet every couple of days rather than relocating it across the yard overnight, and leave it in the new spot for at least two weeks. Birds relearn a location quickly, but a feeder that vanishes and reappears somewhere unfamiliar can go unvisited for weeks.